Roundabout



Oct. 1, 1946. G, H, PQOLER 2,408,479

ROUNDABOUT Filed March 1, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l I mlentor @edge Herz/.2y Foler O`ct `1, 1946. G. H. PooLr-:R

ROUNDABOUT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March l, 1945 *Inventor QO/y Hela?? 7%a`ler By @www Patented Oct. 1, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT .VFFICEv i 2,463,479 y Y Y A RoUNDABoU'r N y 'I George Henry Iooler, Marietta, Ohio Application March 1, 1945, Serial No. 580,350

7 claims. (ci. 272-33) This invention relates to amusement devices such as are referred to as roundabouts, merry-gorounds, carousels and the like, and its purpose vis to generally, structurally, and otherwise improve upon known pleasure apparatus in this category.

More specifically, the invention pertains to a rotor mounted atop a standard, said rotor being in the nature of a wheel with radial arms or spokes, thesebeing properly interconnected and braced; by guy wires, said arms being provided at their outer ends with depending supports and the supports being :provided at their lower ends with chairs or the like for the occupants. K

In accordance with the principles of the invention the upright or standard structure includes a horizontal friction plate or disc, there being small friction drive wheels in contact with the friction surface thereof, these serving to set the vrotor into circular motion, and being mounted on shafts driven either by a motor power means or by foot pedal sprocket and chain means.

Other features and advantages will lbecome more readily apparent from the following y description and the accompanying illustrative drawlIlgS. ,1

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is about constructed in accordance .with the principles of this invention, certain of. the parts being omitted due to thescale on which the drawing ismade, and due toinability rto aptly illustrate same on the basis of Lsuch scale, Y

-Figure 2 is a central vertical which brings out all of the details and their ass'o.- ciation and arrangement'. l

Figure l3 is-anenlarged, detail section taken on the vertical line l3--3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a section on kthe line 4--4 of Figure 2, also looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 5 is ar fragmentary elevational view showing thev foot pedal and crank means, such as is preferably used for propulsion purposes.

Referring now to Figure 2, it will Ibe seen that o i n y a top planview of a socalled roundvsectional, view the upright or standard means comprises an outer tubular standard 'I whose lower end is adapted to be embedded in the concrete foundation or the like. This is provided at its top with an annular plate 8 which serves as a runway. Below this it is provided with a larger plate or table 9 also of annular form which forms a track or runway for propulsion purposes. This is associated with appropriate braces I0 welded or otherthat this sprocket' 2 wisel fastened .in;;place'. .Telescopicallyfittedin the standard .'I visean auxiliary or complemental standard II which may also be of tubular form and this is secured properly in place and yextends well above the platesS and 9. The upper extending end is surrounded by a sleeve I2 carryingl an outstanding. annular-plate I3 at its bottom, this being spaced above the plate 3 and provided with anti-friction rollersV I4 riding on said plate 8'. The plate .I3 is valso provided withl radial sockets I5. Tubular arms I6 vare threaded at their inner endsy into said sockets I5 and extend radially beyond the seriesl of plates S, ,9 and I3. These arms are provided at their outer ends with depending hanger members I'I and, I8' which serve to lsupport the chairs or seats I9y for the users. The upper end of the standard I I is provided with an extension threaded to accommodate a cap 20 and between this and the upper end of the sleeve I2 is e, ball bearing hub unit 2|, the parts being held andfassembled as shown. The unit ZI is provided withadjustaiole guy wires or rods 22 which connect at their outer ends to the corresponding outer ends of the radial arms I6.` Suitable horizontal marginal reinforcing rods A23 vare employed as shown in Figure 1 between distribute stresses andfstrains and to make the over-all'structure sufficiently reliable andsturdy. vEach chair is to be provided with its -vown propulsion means. It would be quite proper. to provide a motor for thisbut in the present instance I' lutilizefsimple pedal-equipped cranks. These cranks areindicated at 2 4 in Figure 5 and propieces 25, said cranksvid'ed with appropriate k"foot beingmoun'ted in appropriate'supports or holders 26." The crankshaft' vided with'Ia/sprocket wheel 21, i'telerririgv QCS Wil 'e Cmpalon sprocket whee' 28 o the ".rriotio'r'iv transmitting shaft 29. A sprocket chain` 3B is trained over said sprocket wheels. The shaft 29 is journaled in bearings at opposite ends, one bearing assembly indicated as the bracket 3l in Figure 2. There is also an extra bearing equipped bracket or brace at 32. Keyed or otherwise mounted on the shaft is a friction driving wheel or disc 33 which rides in contact with the traction surface of the friction plate 9. Thus yby pumping the pedal the sprocket mechanism transmits motion to the shaft 2Q and its wheel 33 which rides in contact with the plate 9 and drives the rotor and the rest of the parts around in an obvious whirlabout fashion.

I have shown a brake 3i on the shaft 29 and a brake band 35 coasting therewith, said brake .the outer ends to Figure@ it will.v bel' seen band being controlled by a suitable operating means 36 within convenient operating distance of the occupant of the seat or chair I9,

It is believed that the construction as well as the operation and features and advantages which attend a structure of this type are somewhat selfevident, that is as a result of having considered the description and drawings.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty suiiicient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed. Y

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A roundabout comprising a fixed upright, a sleeve carried on the upper end thereof, a turntable lconnected to the sleeve, radially disposed arms fixed to the turntable, seats swung from the arms, means whereby the turntable may be manually rotated, a cap rotatably mounted atop the upright and brace rods connecting the cap to the reach end of said arms, a disk xed upon said upright and upon which the turntable operates, said means including a horizontal shaft, a sprocket wheel fixed thereon, a treadle connected to a seat and having a shaft, a sprocket wheel mounted xedly on the last shaft, a relatively large friction disk fixed on the upright and a wheel on the first shaft and engaging the large disk, means whereby the occupant of any seat may brake the roundabout, and said last means including a brake drum on the first shaft and a control member depending to the seat.

2. A roundabout comprising a fixed upright, a sleeve carried on the upper end thereof, a turntable connected to the sleeve, radially disposed arms fixed to the turntable, seats swung from the arms, means whereby the turntable may be manually rotated, a cap rotatably mounted atop the upright and brace rods connecting the cap to the reach end of said arms, a disk fixed upon said upright and upon which the turntable operates, said means including a horizontal shaft, a sprocket wheel fixed thereon, a treadle connected to a seat and having a shaft, a sprocket wheel mounted xedly on the last shaft, a relatively large friction disk fixed on theV upright and a wheel on the first shaft and engaging the large disk, and means whereby the occupant of any seat may brake the roundabout.

3. In a device asA described a xed tubular pole, anenlarged plate fixed upon the extreme upper 6 end thereof, an extension pole mounted within the first pole and projecting through said plat-e, a sleeve rotatable upon the upper end of the last pole, an anti-friction plate to which the sleeve is fixed, chairs supporting arms fixed to said second plate, said second plate supported bythe first plate and ant-ifriction rollers carried by the second plate, means whereby said arms and second plate may be rotated, and means whereby the rotation ofthe arms may be Stopped from any chair.

4. The described device comprising a center pole, radial arms rotatably supported above the pole, chairs depending from the arms and means including drive shafts whereby the device may be manually rotated and means whereby the device may be stopped from any chair, said last means including brake drums on said shafts, and brakecontrol members depending to each chair, said pole having a table fixed on its extreme upper end and a turntable to which the arms are fixed operating on said table, said pole being tubular, another pole mounted in said tubular pole forming an axis for the turntable, and a sleeve mounted rotatably around the last pole and to which the turntable is fixed.

5. The described device comprising a center pole, radial arms rotatably supported above the pole, chairs depending from the arms and means including drive shafts whereby the device may be manually rotated and means whereby the device may be stopped from any chair, said last means including brake drums on said shafts, and brake control members depending to each chair, said pole having a table fixed lon its extreme upper end and a turntable to which the arms are xed operating on said table, and said pole being tubular, another pole mounted in sad'tubular pole forming an axis for the turntable.

l 6. The described device comprising a center pole, radial arms rotatably supported above the pole, chairs depending from the arms and means including drive shafts whereby the device may be manually rotated and means whereby the device may be stopped from any chair, said last means including brake drums on said shafts, and brake control members depending to each chair, and said pole having a table fixed on its extreme ,upper end and a turntable to which the arms are fixed operating on said table.

7. The described device lcomprising a center pole, radial armsvrotatably supported above the pole, chairs depending from the arms and means including drive shafts whereby the device may be manually rotated and means whereby the device may be vstopped fromany chair, said last means including brake on said shafts, and brake control members'depending toeach chair. GEORGE HENRY POOLER. 

